Episode Details

What happens when workplaces stop avoiding difficult conversations and start leaning into them?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with HR consultant, facilitator, workplace investigator, and founder of HR Butter, Kate Bacchus.

Drawing on decades of experience across operational industries, leadership development, workplace investigations, and conflict resolution, Kate shares practical insights into human behaviour, communication, resilience, and the growing importance of critical thinking in the workplace.

From workplace mediation to leadership capability and the impact of AI on human connection, this conversation explores the skills leaders and organisations need to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

What You'll Learn

• Why difficult conversations are often the key to growth

• How facilitation helps teams navigate conflict and rebuild trust

• What Kate means by "human friction" and why it matters

• The risks of outsourcing too much thinking to technology

• How leaders can build resilience without expecting people to be invincible